John h



(No Model.)

J. H. BIOKFORD.

SEAL.

No. 394,531. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

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u. PETERS, mvmmww. Washington. a a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. BICKFORD, OF SALEM, MASSACHFSE'ITS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO S. FREDERICK SMITH, F SAME PLACE.

8 EA L SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,531, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed April 3, 1888- Serial No. 269,466- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: tical section of a portion of the seal shown in Be it known that I, JOHN H. BICKFORD, of Fig. 8, taken on the dotted line 2 2; Fig. 10, an 50 Salem, county of Essex, and State of Massaf under side view of the seal shown in Fig. 8. chusetts, have invented an Improvement in The loop a, of wire or other suitable mate- 5 Seals, of which the following description, in rial, is bent as desired, the ends of the wire connection with the accompanying drawings, being bent inwardly and terminating at short is a specification, like letters on the drawings distance from each other. The connecting- 5 5 representing like parts. i block b, of hard metal, has a dovetailed groove, This invention has for its object to con- 1), formed upon one side longitudinally, and

struct a seal for freight-car doors and the i is provided with two holes, (see Fig. 1,) into like which cannot be easily tampered with by which, from inside the said groove, enter the malicious persons, and if tampered with will ends 11 of the wn're loop. be destroyed, so as to be easily traceable. The compressible fastening employed is In accordance with this invention I emherein shown as consisting of a bar or block,

15 ploy a longitudinally-grooved metallic block 0, of soft metal-as lead-shaped to fit the having two holes communicating with the groove I) of the connecting-block, the fastengroove, and also a wire loop having its ends ing being bent outwardly at its center, (see bent to enter the groove and holes of the Fig. 1,) where it has a face, 0', upon which a said block. A compressible bar or block is number or other character maybe impressed,

20 also employed, shaped to fit the groove as in Fig. 10.

above or upon the bent ends of the wire loop, The soft-metal fastening-block c is placed said block, when compressed, holding the in the groove 1) of the block b after the ends ends of the loop rigidly in position. The l) have been extended through the connectcompressible block is preferably made of ing-block, thereby holding the wire loop in 25 lead, and the ends of the wire loop are fitted place. The soft-metal block or bar is then into the metallic holding or connecting block compressed by any suitable implement to at a short distance apart, so that the mateforce the material thereof into and to fill rial of the compressible block, when comthe dovetail grooveb of the connecting-block pressed, enters slightly the space between the Z), so that the face of the soft-metal block 30 said ends as well as fills the groove flush. will lie flush with the face of the hard-metal The groove is preferably of dovetail shape connecting-block.

in cross-section, in order that the compressi- Any suitable numbers or letters may be ble block may be readily placed therein and impressed into the soft-metal block to characheld. terize the seal.

35 Figure 1 shows in front elevation and par- In shipping the seals to be used the softtial section a seal embodying this invention; metal blocks are held in place in the groove Fig. 2, a vertical section of the seal shown in of the hard-metal block, and when it is de- Fig. 1, taken on the dotted lines .1: Fig. 3, sired to use the seals the soft-metal block is a vertical section of a portion of the seal removed, the loop removed from the hard- 40 shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line y metal block, and placed over or through the y; Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the seal loop or eye of the fastening that it is desired shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line .2 to seal. The ends b are then made to re- .2; Fig. 5, an under side view of the seal enter the holes of the blockb. The soft-metal shown in Fig. l, the compressible block beblock is returned into place and thereafter 45 ing removed; Figs. 6 and 7, details of the compressed.

compressible block; 8, a front elevation I claimand partial section of the seal shown in Fig. In a seal, the loop a and connecting-block 1, the block being compressed; Fig. 9, a verlongitudinally grooved or cut away upon its under side, and having holes to receive the to thisspecificet-ion in the presence of two subupturned ends of the loop, combined with a scribing Witnesses. compressible block adapted to enter the said T r .7 groove or out-away portion of the connecting- Jon) IIOKFORD 5 block and to be compressed therein, substan- Witnesses:

tially as described. BERNICE J. NOYES,

In testimony whereof I have signed my nnne F. L. EMERY. 

